| Twenty One Pilots – Tear in My Heart Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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@GustaQLon You mean the line "I’m driving here I sit, cursing my government, / For not using my taxes to fill holes with more cement"? There he's talking about how he's upset with the government for not using his taxes to fill potholes, since now he has to swerve to avoid hitting them and waking his love up. |
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| Lorde – Tennis Court Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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@[sokorny:8964] I apologize for the inconvenience. I try to structure everything so my main interpretation is stated right away. The rest of my comment is supporting evidence. Basically, I write mini essays about songs, as you would for a story in English class. I'm a literature major, so analysis is my job and this is just the format that makes the most sense to me. (I'm also a history minor so I tend to get carried away on periods I'm passionate about.) If you don't like it, you don't have to read it. |
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| Ed Sheeran – Photograph Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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1) "Loving can hurt / Loving can hurt sometimes / But it's the only thing that I know / When it gets hard / You know it can get hard sometimes / It is the only thing that makes us feel alive" Love isn't limited to romance. So while these seem like straightforward I-love-you-even-though-it-hurts lines, they could apply to people outside a traditional romantic relationship. Take, for example, a mother and her son. Who, in a mother and son relationship, hasn't had "hard" times? Who would also agree that, in this relationship, love is "the only thing"? Oh, sure, there can be the occasional feud and not all relationships are ideal, but for most people love is prevalent. On a separate note, the final line here reminds me of a Victor Hugo quote: "To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.” 2) "We keep this love in a photograph / We made these memories for ourselves / Where our eyes are never closing / Hearts are never broken / Times forever frozen still" This is what initially brought about my soldier interpretation. I've often heard stories of people holding on to a photograph of their loved one oversees or at home, and I connected that with this song. What Sheeran's saying here is basically that "this love"--be it romantic or familial--is kept in "a photograph" with all the memories they made. In the photograph, their "eyes are never closing, hearts are never broken, [and] time's forever frozen still." In the love the song centers around, things are different now than they were in the photograph. Now, they're both hurt and "time's forever frozen still" (which is a repetitive line but a beautiful one). "Broken hearts" doesn't necessarily mean the relationship ended, though. Quite a few people seem to interpret it that way, but I disagree. "Broken hearts" can also be caused by long-term separation between a couple or a family. 3) "So you can keep me / Inside the pocket / Of your ripped jeans / Holdin' me closer / 'Til our eyes meet / You won't ever be alone / Wait for me to come home" The "me" of the first line here refers to the photograph, which temporarily serves as a representation of him. He encourages her, saying she should "[hold] me closer 'til our eyes meet." He must be staring directly at the photographer for her eyes to meet his in a photograph. And the fact that their eyes can meet (when his eyes are really just a piece of paper) is unusual. It further confirms that the photograph is like a stand-in until the real thing returns. I also think it show's that they still connect. They're eyes meet; they're equals; they miss each other. Why else would she be staring at his photograph? To reiterate, this could also be his mother staring at a photo of him (I've yet to meet a mother who wears "ripped jeans," but I'm sure they exist). Whoever it is, despite the distance between them, he claims she "won't ever be alone." His photograph will keep her company until he can "come home." As a singer now, I'm sure he's on tour often, so his mother or sweetheart would be "alone" but for the photograph of him. Definitely not a break up. 4) "Loving can heal / Loving can mend your soul / And it's the only thing that I know (know) / I swear it will get easier / Remember that with every piece of ya / And it's the only thing we take with us when we die" Just as "loving can hurt," it can also "heal." While their separation may hurt, their love can leap those bounds and still "mend your soul." I think the "it" he refers to in the third line here is the obstruction in their relationship, which I believe is physical distance. He begs her to "remember" that "it will get easier." The "it" of the final line goes back to the first line: "[Love is] the only thing we take with us when we die." Which prompts the thought; what if the obstruction is death? What if this song is about loving someone who's already gone? What if "coming home" means joining them in the afterlife? It doesn't fit perfectly with the photograph motif, but I always like to consider other interpretations. 5) "And if you hurt me / That's okay, baby, only words bleed / Inside these pages you just hold me / And I won't ever let you go" This section is a little confusing. As far as I can understand, he means that she can hurt him--the photograph representing him, perhaps. But "that's okay" because "only words bleed;" only words can hurt him. This is an imperfect interpretation because he doesn't say "only words make him bleed," but this is how I've come to understand it. He also says that "inside these pages" she should "just hold [him]." I think "these pages" could refer to the photograph (perhaps it shows them hugging, so he "won't ever let you go" or the many "words" and memories they share or even the "pages" of their dreams. In my initial interpretation, I heard "only words bleed" to mean that, even though he was going into dangerous territory, the only thing that could really hurt him was her words. In any case, I think he's trying to reassure her. 6) "Oh you can fit me / Inside the necklace you got when you were 16 / Next to your / heartbeat / Where I should be / Keep it deep within your soul" Admittedly, this section sounds much more like romantic love than familial love. But how else would you explain the music video? This section's pretty simple, but it's my favorite part of the song. He says she can "fit [him]"--his photograph, that is--inside a locket from when she was a teenager. Again, this reminds me of a soldier's words to his beloved, since some of my friends and family were in serious relationships at a young age and had to deal with long distance as a result of war. The necklace lies near her heart, where Sheeran believes he "should be." In other words, he thinks his photograph should be near to her heart because it represents him, and he should be near to her heart, as well. He wants her to keep the memories of him "deep within [her] soul," where he will never be lost and forever be treasured. 7) "When I'm away / I will remember how you kissed me / Under the lamppost / Back on 6th street / Hearing you whisper through the phone, / 'Wait for me to come home.'" I really hope he's not talking about his mom here. Though maybe he means a light kiss on the head farewell or something like that. In any case, while she has a photograph to remember him by these lines make it clear he'll keep her in his memories, as well. The last two lines puzzle me. How could they be on the phone if she kissed him? Unless there are two "you"s or two different situations here. And why would she say "wait for me to come home?" He's the one who left. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, too. My conclusion? This would be an adorable song to play at the wedding of someone who's about to leave for the military. Or to send to your mother when you've been away for a while. For more posts like this, check out my blog at toriphelps.wordpress.com/blog |
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| Twenty One Pilots – Tear in My Heart Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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Basically, this song is about love. The singer declares that sometimes the only thing reminding us we're alive is how much we hurt and then says his beloved hurts him. In other words, the pain from loving someone constantly reminds him he's alive. That may not have made much sense, so let's go into a line-by-line analysis. 1) "Sometimes you’ve got to bleed to know, / That you're alive and have a soul, / But it takes someone to come around to show you how." The singer says "bleeding" reminds us we're alive, but someone else needs to "show you how" to bleed. I think "bleeding" means giving part of yourself away. Love requires a bit of sacrifice; its like trusting someone else with your heart. 2) "She’s the tear in my heart, I’m alive, / She’s the tear in my heart, I’m on fire, / She’s the tear in my heart, Take me higher, / Than I’ve ever been." The "she" is the "someone" who showed him "how" mentioned in the previous line. She's the one he loves; she's the one he bleeds for; she's the one who constantly reminds him he's alive. She's the "tear in [his] heart." Not only does she make him feel alive, she makes him feel "on fire" and desire something "higher / than [he's] ever been." Fire often refers to pain or--er--passion and "higher" refers to an elevated or better state of being. 3) "The songs on the radio are ok, / But my taste in music is your face, / And it takes a song to come around to show you how." These lines are just super cute. He's saying her face is a song--his favorite type of song. Don't think about it too hard; just trust me, it's cute. He also says it "takes a song to come around and show you how," paralleling the previous lines where it takes "someone...to show you how." He's already compared her face to a song, so clearly she's also the song it takes to "show you how." 4) "You fell asleep in my car, I drove the whole time, / But that’s ok, I’ll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine, / I’m driving here I sit, cursing my government, / For not using my taxes to fill holes with more cement." Again, these lines are adorable. The "holes" he avoids are, quite simply, pot holes. I don't have much to analyze here, I just think the words are cute enough to merit a second look. 5) "My heart is my armor, / She’s the tear in my heart, she’s a carver, / She’s a butcher with a smile, cut me farther, / Than I’ve ever been." His heart is his protection, or "armor;" he's secure enough in what he thinks that other people who disagree and argue against him don't hurt him at all. This woman, though, is the "tear" in his armor. What she says can hurt him. She's a "carver" and a "butcher," constantly taking more of his love and reminding him he's alive and able to hurt him in a way others can't. She "cuts" him "farther than [he's] ever been," or makes him feel more alive than he's ever felt before. For more in-depth interpretations of song lyrics, please check out my blog at toriphelps.wordpress.com/blog |
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| Florence + the Machine – Over the Love Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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“Over the Love” is from Daisy Buchanan’s perspective. It’s been over a year since I’ve read the story, so if I get anything wrong, please correct me. “Ever since I was a child, / I’ve turned it over in my mind. / I sang by that piano, tore my yellow dress and, / Cried and cried and cried.” When Daisy was younger, she and Gatsby were lovers. I believe the “it” which she’s turned over in her mind is “the love” referenced in the title. Two girls in yellow dresses attend Gatsby’s first party, which is (if I remember correctly) when this song is played in the film. I think the reference to a yellow dress does more than just pay homage to the unnamed characters; rather, I believe it’s a nod to the symbolism of the color yellow. Throughout the book, yellow represents false wealth, as it is a fake gold. In tearing her yellow dress in this song, Daisy tears herself away from false wealth (which I feel represents Gatsby, the personification of new money). This would also explain why she cries. “Now there’s green light in my eyes, / And my lover on my mind. / And I’ll sing from the piano, tear my yellow dress and, / Cry and cry and cry, / Over the love of you.” The “green light” is the light of Daisy’s house Gatsby sees from his backyard. The light symbolizes Gatsby’s hopes and dreams, particularly in association with Daisy and “green,” or money. It is the one thing in the darkness he reaches towards. On a broader level, the green light represents the American dream. Since I interpret the song from Daisy’s perspective, the “green light in my eyes” shows she sees the same dream Gatsby does, but the light seems to blind her rather than illuminate the world around her. Gatsby is also the “lover” of whom she thinks. The singer also reveals here that she’s crying “over the love of you.” This could be interpreted two ways; either Daisy cries to get over her love of Gatsby or she cries for her love of Gatsby. Knowing Daisy, I tend to agree with the first. “On this champagne, drunken hope, / Against the current, all alone, / Everybody, see, I love him.” Despite taking place during the prohibition, alcohol played a prominent role in the 1920s. I interpret this to mean the speaker only has hope when drunk. It’s hopeless to think she could be with Gatsby. The individual who fights “the current, all alone” is not named. It could be Gatsby, fighting the realists for a taste of illusion. It could also be Daisy, unsure of what exactly she wants, isolated by her situation. I think it’s interesting that someone could feel “all alone” in an atmosphere filled with elaborate parties, but that’s really how the novel paints Gatsby–isolated, even when surrounded. The “him” the speaker says she loves could either be a sarcastic comment about her husband or a genuine comment about Gatsby. I think that she would say “you” if she meant Gatsby, but I could be wrong. All in all, this passage is fairly ambiguous. “‘Cause it’s a feeling that you get, / When the afternoon is set, / On a bridge into the city.” Again, I think the “it” refers to love. Love is a feeling you get in the evening on a bridge into the city. The bridge mentioned is the Queensboro Bridge, which connects New York City to Manhattan. At one point, the novel actually remarks, “The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and beauty in the world.” I think these lines refer to that quote. Overall, I think this song is about more than just Daisy’s perspective in The Great Gatsby. It’s about the tragedy of hoping when it’s hopeless. It’s about a love that part of you knows will never come into fruition. It’s about the green light and the yellow dress and everything that’s fake, everything that deceives us. It’s a raw, hauntingly beautiful song–as hauntingly beautiful as the book itself. For analysis of other parts of the lyrics, check out my blog post at https://toriphelps.wordpress.com/2015/04/10/focus-on-the-lyrics-friday-over-the-love/ |
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| All Time Low – Kids In the Dark Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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At its core, this song is about people who face tough times joining together and fighting to be happy and lively once more. It has an optimistic message, but it’s realistic because it acknowledges that these situations happen and that they will happen again. 1) “Here we are, / at the end of the road — a road that’s quietly caving in, / Come too far to pretend that we don’t — we don’t miss where we started / Looking back, I see a setting sun / and watch my shadow fade into the floor. / I am left standing on the edge, / wondering how we got this far.” The “end of the road” signifies the end of a chapter of a person’s life. If the road is “caving in,” it has been ending for some time. The “we” of the song have been on this path for a while and miss what life was like before they walked down this road. They started out with more light–more joy, more optimism, more life–but the light is now setting behind them. Even the speaker’s shadow is fading “into the floor,” signifying not only that he is left in the dark, but that part of him is lost to the darkness. He stands on the edge of the road, wondering how they came so far in spite of the crumbling road and pressing darkness. 2) “They left us alone, / the Kids In The Dark, / to burn out forever / or light up a spark, / We come together, / state of the art, / We’ll never surrender, / the kids in the dark, / So let the world sing, / ‘What a shame, / what a shame, / beautiful scars / on critical veins'” These “kids in the dark” are individuals who face tough times. The kids have two options: embrace the darkness and lose hope (“burn out forever”) or make their own light, their own greatness (“light up a spark”). They’re united in their darkness, and vow to “never surrender.” I think this makes it clear that the speaker wants them to “light up a spark” rather than surrender to the darkness. “They” (“the world,” as he later calls them) don’t recognize the potential of the kids in the dark. The phrase “what a shame” is often used in mock pity, and I don’t think that’s changed for this song. The world may titter that it’s a shame those kids have “beautiful scars on critical veins”–a reference to cutting–but the world is the one to push them in the dark in the first place. Still, the speaker says the kids in the dark should “let” the world say so, brushing off their mock pity and standing up to fight the darkness directly. 3) “Here we are at the top of the hill — a hill that’s quietly crumbling, / Been a while since you dressed for the kill– the kill that sent me tumbling, / Looking up, I see a falling star, and watch its fire burn into the floor, / I am left standing on the edge, / wondering why we fall so hard” The speaker isn’t just standing at the edge of a road; he’s at the top of a hill. The path he’s taken has been a struggle upward. The hill, too, is “crumbling” so everything around him is falling apart. This is where it gets confusing. When the second line refers to “the kill that sent me tumbling,” I believe it means the situation that pushed him toward the dark. The “falling star” the speaker sees could be another kid in the dark, falling from the heavens to the earth, where the kid’s fire–like the speaker’s shadow–is lost to the floor. That would explain why the speaker wonders “why we fall so hard.” Though this second verse is more depressing, the song ends with a repetition of the chorus, which says the kids in the dark will still unite and will still try to fight the darkness. No matter how hard or how many times they fall, the kids in the dark will keep fighting for light. For more song analyses like this, check out my blog, toriphelps.wordpress.com/blog/ |
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| Bastille – Poet Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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To understand this song, look at Shakespeare’s Sonnet 81. Or I shall live your epitaph to make, Or you survive when I in earth am rotten; From hence your memory death cannot take, Although in me each part will be forgotten. Your name from hence immortal life shall have, Though I, once gone, to all the world must die: The earth can yield me but a common grave, When you entombed in men’s eyes shall lie. Your monument shall be my gentle verse, Which eyes not yet created shall o’er-read, And tongues to be your being shall rehearse, When all the breathers of this world are dead; You still shall live (such virtue hath my pen) Where breath most breathes, even in the mouths of men. Recognize anything? Any band who bases a song off a Shakespearean sonnet (one that holds words in high esteem, no less) deserves a Grammy in my book. I can’t grovel forever, though; let’s look at other reasons to love this song. 1) “Obsession it takes control, / Obsession it eats me whole. / I can’t say the words out loud, / So in a rhyme I wrote you down. / Now you’ll live through the ages, / I can feel your pulse in the pages.” The speaker, who is eaten up with his love for “you,” couldn’t bring himself to say anything “out loud,” so he wrote them down, ensuring “you” will “live through the ages,” since words last longer than people (Shakespeare’s words in particular). The idea of words preserving life is a beautiful one emphasized in the concept of epitaphs and obituaries as well as the line “I can feel your pulse in the pages.” 2) “I have written you down / Now you will live forever / And all the world will read you / And you will live forever / In eyes not yet created / On tongues that are not born / I have written you down / Now you will live forever.” This mimics the lines “Which eyes not yet created shall o’er-read, / And tongues to be your being shall rehearse, / When all the breathers of this world are dead; / You still shall live (such virtue hath my pen).” I’m glad Bastille simplified it, though; it’d be hard to sing lines like “tongues to be your being shall rehearse.” In any case, this chorus serves to emphasize the idea that writing the subject down will preserve a part of her. 3) “Your body lies upon the sheets, / Of paper and words so sweet. / I can’t say the words, / so I wrote you into my verse. / Now you’ll live through the ages, / I can feel your pulse in the pages.” The first line plays with the word “sheets,” which can mean both bedsheets (scandalous) and sheets “of paper and words so sweet.” The subject may not be literally lying on papers, but she could be lying on bedsheets, and part of her is preserved in the paper on which the song/poem is printed. The other lines should sound familiar, since they repeat those of the first part. 4) “I have read her with these eyes, / I’ve read her with these eyes, / I have held her in these hands.” The speaker remains ambiguous, allowing readers/listeners to judge whether he’s referring to his love, his poem, or both. He has read the poem, and in reading the poem he has read “her.” It’s also possible to “read” a person to figure out how they feel. The next line is ambiguous, too, since he can both hold “her” and the poem/song. The ambiguity of this section is its strongest feature. 5) “I have written you down, / Now you will live forever. / The virtue’s in the verse, / And you will live forever.” I almost didn’t include this section, since it mostly repeated what had already been discussed, but then I read sonnet 81 again. The line “the virtue’s in the verse” is a nod to Shakespeare’s poem when he writes “(such virtue hath my pen).” In fact, I think the whole song is a nod to Shakespeare. I mean, the title’s not “Words,” “Poem,” or even “Sonnet 81;” Bastille titled this song “Poet.” Just when I thought I couldn’t like this band any more than I already do… For more song lyric analyses, check out my blog at toriphelps.wordpress.com |
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| Bastille – Flaws Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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“Flaws” tells of two people, one who doesn't hide her flaws and seems completely comfortable in her own skin, and another who buries his flaws and feels empty. Let’s examine my favorite parts here. 1.) “When all of your flaws and all of my flaws / Are laid out one by one / The wonderful part of the mess that we made / We pick ourselves undone.” This stanza puts the two starkly different characters on the same level, both exposed as they bare their flaws to one another. I love how Dan Smith (lead singer and songwriter) calls the “mess” of their flaws “wonderful.” Our flaws may be messy, but they’re deeply personal and they are a part of us. As a writer, I know the best way to develop a character is not through her strengths, but through her flaws. Flaws help us relate to one another and they shape our character as we either embrace or pick them off. When we share our flaws, we expose parts of our souls. When all our flaws are shared, we are “undone,” or untied. 2.) “Ones [flaws] we’ve inherited, ones that we learned / They pass from man to man.” Our flaws can be hereditary or picked up along the way. Physical “flaws” (birthmarks, disabilities, etc.) and potential genetic flaws (alcoholism, some diseases, etc.) can be “inherited” while personality flaws (bossiness, pride, competitiveness, etc.) and other physical flaws (burns, scars, etc.) are typically “learned.” Either way, flaws only develop from other people. 3.) “There’s a hole in my soul. / I can’t fill it, I can’t fill it. / There’s a hole in my soul. / Can you fill it? Can you fill it?” The protagonist, who has hidden his flaws, feels empty and can’t seem to fill it himself. He asks the other character who embraces her flaws to fill him up. This stanza is probably why people often interpret the song as romantic, but I don’t think that’s right. There may be romance between the two characters, yes, but that doesn’t make the song romantic. The focus remains on the relationship between people and their flaws, not flawed people. 4.) “You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve / And I have always buried them deep beneath the ground. / Dig them up; let’s finish what we’ve started. / Dig them up, so nothing’s left untouched.” Here is why the protagonist feels empty; he has buried part of himself away while the other character wears her flaws clearly. I won’t pretend I understand the reference to “what we’ve started,” but I believe he wants to “dig” his flaws up in order to fill the hole in his soul mentioned previously. 5.) “All of your flaws and all of my flaws, / When they have been exhumed / We’ll see that we need them to be who we are / Without them we’d be doomed.” Ahh, here’s my favorite stanza. When the characters’ flaws “have been exhumed,” or dug up, they’ll see that their flaws are part of themselves. Without our flaws, there’s a “hole in [our] soul.” As I said earlier, our flaws are more defining than our strengths. This is not to say that we are our flaws (wouldn't that be an ugly world); this means our flaws are the knives that sculpt our personalities. For more analyses of song lyrics (including other Bastille song lyrics), check out my blog, toriphelps.wordpress.com |
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| Lorde – Tennis Court Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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Okay, here’s my theory: this song is about the events leading up to the French Revolution (particularly the Tennis Court meeting). It fits pretty perfectly, right? The only problem is Lorde has never suggested that. Rather, she says the meaning of the song is rooted in her recent rise to fame and what famous people face; the reference to a tennis court is simply because she sees them as aesthetically beautiful and grand. I think the song can be both. It uses the French Revolution to explore what it means to be famous. This gives the song a darker undertone, suggesting just how easily the tables can turn and celebrities can lose everything, just as the French monarchy did. It’s more of a social criticism piece than a biographical statement, if you ask me. Without further ado, let’s look at some specific parts. 1) “Don’t you think that it’s boring how people talk / Making smart with their words again, well I’m bored. / Because I’m doing this for the thrill of it, killin’ it / Never not chasing a million things I want / And I am only as young as the minute is full of it / Getting pumped up from the little bright things I bought / But I know they’ll never own me (Yeah)” Lorde thinks that which people talk about (ie-celebrity gossip) is boring. She’s singing and doing whatever it is she does for the “thrill of it,” not for the fame or the people. People talk about everything, down to the “little bright things” she’s purchased. No matter what they do, though they will never “own” her; she will continue to do what she wants rather than what the media wants. On the French Revolution side of this, I picture a bored Marie Antoinette, unconcerned with the petty peasant talk. She doesn’t care for the politics of being Queen of France; she cares only for the “thrills” of luxury, “chasing a million things” she wants. She gets excited about her possessions, but she thinks they’ll never control her. 2) “Baby be the class clown / I’ll be the beauty queen in tears / It’s a new art form showing people how little we care (Yeah) / We’re so happy, even when we’re smilin’ out of fear / Let’s go down to the tennis court, and talk it up like yeah (Yeah).” Lorde points out how celebrities feel the need to own up to what the media labels them as in order to show they don’t care. It’s a strange form of rebellion, but it is a plausible idea as to why some celebrities embrace such bad labels. These celebrities are fake, though. They tell themselves they’re “happy” and look happy, but they’re “smilin’ out of fear.” She suggests they meet at the tennis courts, which she considers glamorous places, and talk about their shared experiences (their “yeahs,” if you will). Looking at the French Revolution standpoint, Marie Antoinette speaks of her husband, Louis XVI (“Baby”), as a “class clown.” He was considered a joke of a king, since his real passion was making keys. From what I've read, he prefered manual labor over politics. To the French, that would make him an upper-class clown. (See what I did there?) Marie herself acted as the “beauty queen in tears,” always crying in order to get more pretty dresses and gardens. The labels are like caricatures of their reign, pointing out their most unsavory characteristics to seem like that’s all they were. Of course, that’s what peasants of the time shared to gain more support for the revolution. Marie has obviously caught wind of the rebellious talk, so she and her husband feign the happiness everyone expects of royalty, though they’re smiling out of fear, pretending to be comfortable in politics. The reference to speaking at the tennis court coincides with the Tennis Court meeting, where the royals met with peasants to hash out a compromise and avoid revolution. The meeting was actually successful, but other peasants misinterpreted the presence of soldiers and the revolution began. Lorde’s song only takes us as far as the tennis court, but the end of the French monarchy is imminent. 3) “Pretty soon I’ll be getting on my first plane / I’ll see the veins of my city like they do in space / But my head’s filling up with the wicked games, up in flames / How can I **** with the fun again, when I’m known / And my boys trip me up with their heads again, loving them / Everything’s cool when we’re all in line, for the throne / But I know it’s not forever (Yeah)” This was probably penned around the time of Lorde’s first tour, where she would hop on a plane for the first time and look at her home from afar. She’s becoming more and more anxious, though, and wonders how she can do what she wants and remain true to herself when she’s a celebrity. Her friends and family (“my boys”) clear her anxieties. It’s okay while she’s not yet on “the throne,” or the spotlight, but that won’t last forever. She’ll soon have to take her seat among other stars. Admittedly, the first line doesn't fit well with Marie Antoinette’s setting, but perhaps we can take “plane” to mean a flat surface rather than a flying vehicle. If this were the case, perhaps the “plane” refers to her guillotine platform. (“Soon” is, after all, a relative measurement.) She’ll see “her city,” Paris. She’s becoming more anxious, wondering how she can do what she enjoys (shopping, gambling, etc.), when she’s being watched for trial. And her family (she had a husband and several kids, remember) reminds her to focus on the now. The last two lines are literal in this interpretation: everything’s good as long as they reign, but they won’t reign forever. 4) “It looked alright in the pictures (Yeah) / Getting caught soft with the triple is it / I fall apart, with all my heart / And you can watch from your window / And you can watch from your window.” Fame looked appealing from all the photos, but she’s not sure anymore. Paparazzi try to snag photos of celebrities when they’re at their worst and claim the individual is falling apart. Lorde mocks this when she dispassionately sings, “I fall apart, with all my heart.” And audiences watch from their “windows,” both detached and attracted to the world of fame. Marie Antoinette might say the same of France and her rule. It looked glamorous in the painting, but all the politics threaten her family while peasants watch the fall of the monarchy from their windows, both disgusted and attracted to the world of luxury. For more analyses of song lyrics, check out my blog at toriphelps.wordpress.com |
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| Imagine Dragons – Bleeding Out Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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Some people are saying this song is about suicide and cutting, but I disagree. I think this song is the battle cry of sorts for friends or partners to rise up and protect the ones they love…and I think it uses a Biblical allusion to convey that message. I have to preface this by saying that this song is ambiguous. It could mean completely different things to different people, and that’s part of what makes it so personal. I think the song alludes to the Crucifiction to call friends out to sacrifice for one another. In a way, it’s a cry to be more like Jesus in his willingness to sacrifice despite the pain. (A couple of the band members are Mormon, so this meaning is certainly possible.) It’s not going to make much sense unless we look right at the lyrics, so let’s dive right in. 1) “I’m bleeding out / So if the last thing that I do / Is bring you down / I’ll bleed out for you / So I bare my skin / And I count my sins / And I close my eyes / And I take it in / I’m bleeding out / I’m bleeding out for you, for you.” This is the cry of Jesus “bleeding out” on the cross as the “last thing” he does (while in the flesh, of course). He “bare[s]” his skin to the lashings and “counts his sins” (which are exactly none). This could also apply to an individual who’s “bleeding out,” or sacrificing something, “for you,” his friend. He exposes himself when he “bare[s]” his skin and “counts his sins,” ready to “take it in” to save his friend. 2) “When the day has come / That I’ve lost my way around / And the seasons stop and hide beneath the ground / When the sky turns gray / And everything is screaming / I will reach inside / Just to find my heart is beating.” Yet another Imagine Dragons song with a post-apocalyptic feel. This also feels like how a depressed individual might view the world, so I can see why people may misinterpret the song as one related to depression and self-injury. This could also be how Jesus felt on the cross (with everyone laughing or “screaming” at him and the seasons and sky fading, like they know what it means that his end is near). It’s a little extreme of an interpretation, but it could fit. What would fit better yet is a more human explanation. When the individual feels “lost” and feels like all is coming to an end, he will remember what he holds dear to him, in his “heart,” and keep up the struggle. 3) “Oh, you tell me to hold on / Oh, you tell me to hold on / But innocence is gone / And what was right is wrong.” This feels like Jesus crying out on the cross, as well, doing what is “right” in saving us by doing what is “wrong” in being crucified despite lacking sin. 4) “When the hour is nigh / And hopelessness is sinking in / And the wolves all cry / To fill the night with hollering / When your eyes are red / And emptiness is all you know / With the darkness fed / I will be your scarecrow” You’ve found my favorite part! I’m a sucker for the word “nigh.” Anyway, I think this is the strongest part of the song. In continuation with the crucifiction allusion, this seems like the part where Jesus is about to die (“the hour is nigh”) and the “wolves,” or people who condemned him, “fill the night with hollering” and someone in the crowd, possibly Mary, has “red” eyes from crying. Still, Jesus hangs on the cross, similar to a “scarecrow” in both his physical position and in keeping the darkness from the crops, keeping Satan from his followers. Isn’t that a gorgeous comparison? I get really geeked out when unusual metaphors fit so perfectly. The lines would also fit for an individual who sacrifices for his friend, who feels “hopeless” and “empty.” He intends to sacrifice himself to keep the “darkness” from taking hold of his friend. What should we take away from this, then? I think we should be better friends. I hope you’re never in a desperate situation where you must chose whether to save your friend or yourself, though the song seems to feel clearly about which is more important. The lyrics should be applied to the smaller things. Perhaps if your friend needs to discuss the pains in his/her life, you should sacrifice your time. If your friend needs a hug, you should sacrifice your personal space. If your friend needs a tub of ice cream and a couple distracting flicks to get over a tough breakup, you should sacrifice your money. Most importantly, this song seems adamant that if your friend suffers from depression, you should sacrifice all you can (in good conscience, of course) to help. For interpretations of other songs, check out my blog, toriphelps.wordpress.com |
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| Christina Perri – The Words Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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This song is essentially someone in love crying out for the person they have feelings for to say they feel the same way too. But as usual, Perri has a beautiful way with words. 1) “All of the lights land on you / The rest of the world fades from you / And all of the love I see / Please please say you feel it too / And all of the noise I hear inside / Restless and loud, unspoken and wild / And all that you need to say / To make it all go away / It’s that you feel the same way too” Though I don’t like the repetition of “you” at the end of the first two lines, I love the images they create. It focuses my attention on the song, not just on the love interest, so that the “rest of the world fades.” The speaker’s plea for reciprocation is most evident in these lines, setting the scene for the rest of the song. She asks him to “say” he can “feel” the love she sees to banish all the “noise [she can] hear inside.” I think the other noises she’s hearing inside are her own doubts and questions. 2) “And I know / The scariest part is letting go / ‘Cause love is a ghost you can’t control / I promise you the truth can’t hurt us now / So let the words slip out of your mouth” Despite all the doubts and questions she has, the speaker understands how difficult it can be to express feelings. What I find most interesting about this part is the metaphor “love is a ghost you can’t control.” Not only is it strange to think of love as a ghost, but Perri mentions ghosts in “Jar of Hearts” when she says “don’t you know I’m not your ghost anymore?” to the speaker’s ex. Just a side note. Anyway, it seems like the speaker or her love or both have been hurt by opening up in the past, as indicated in saying “the truth can’t hurt us now.” Sometimes opening your heart can be painful, but it is also sometimes necessary. 3) “And all of the steps that led me to you / And all of the hell I had you walk through / But I wouldn't trade a day for the chance to say / My love, I’m in love with you” “Steps” and “hell” allude to the afterlife, reminding me of that “ghost” line again. Outside of that, I think the meaning of these lines is pretty clear; the speaker and her love have gone through a lot, but now they’re together and she wouldn’t trade anything for the chance to profess her love. 4) “I know that we’re both afraid / We both made the same mistakes / An open heart is an open wound to you / And in the wind there’s a heavy choice / Love has a quiet voice / Still you mind, now I’m yours to choose” I love this part of the song! Perri wraps her song up nicely in these lines. Both characters are afraid of getting their hearts broken again and feel the “heavy choice” between loving and leaving weigh down on them. The love interest believes “an open heart is an open wound,” meaning he believes he will get hurt if he opens up (but “an open heart is an open wound” sounds much stronger; props to Perri on her metaphors here). The speaker tries to convince him he’s in love by declaring “love has a quiet voice” that he will only hear when his mind is “still.” The last two lines of this section remind me of an above line where the speaker says she hears “noise…restless and loud” that his love can wave away if he says “the words.” Both characters are distracted by all the loud voices in their minds; they need to speak the words in order to focus on one another and see what they have. For more song analyses, check out my blog at toriphelps.wordpress.com! |
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| Ed Sheeran – I See Fire Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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Sheeran’s song is based on Peter Jackson’s film “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” but there’s more to the song than just the description of fire. 1) “Oh, misty eye of the mountain below / Keep careful watch of my brother’s souls / And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke / Keep watching over Durin’s sons” I actually read this song as a sort of prayer. The “misty eye of the mountain below” is the “god” Sheeran addresses. The mountain has a heart (the Arkenstone), so why shouldn’t it have an eye, as well? Throughout The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, eyes are a fairly important symbol. Both Sauron and Smaug, the primary villains of the two tales, have noteable flame-colored eyes. The Lonely Mountain to which this song refers does not have a fiery eye, but a “misty” one. While the other eyes’ ability (Sauron’s in particular) to see all is a reason for fear, the singer of this song calls for the mountain’s eye to see all and draws hope from it. It’s interesting that Sheeran would have the words “misty” and “mountain” in the same line, since there is a range called Misty Mountains in Middle Earth, but if I recall correctly, that’s the range where Bilbo finds the ring, not where Smaug lives. I don’t really know why he says the eye of the mountain is “below,” so any thoughts on that are welcome. Also, I believe this part of the song is from the perspective of Bard, the eventual leader of Lake-town. He asks the mountain to “keep careful watch of [his] brother’s souls,” his brothers being the people of Laketown. If Smaug poses a threat to them or the dwarves, Bard also hopes the mountain will “keep watching over Durin’s sons,” or protecting the dwarves. While Bard and Thorin have their disagreements, they’re both willing to do anything for the people they lead. Both Lake-town and the dwarves (plus one hobbit) unite against the fire. 2) “If this is to end in fire / Then we should all burn together / Watch the flames climb high into the night / Calling out ‘father,’ oh, stand by and we will / Watch the flames burn auburn on / The mountain side high” As I said before, a major theme of this song is how trials prompt unity. If the fire comes for them, they will all “burn together.” The song is a sort of disheartening battle cry. They will “watch the flames,” bravely standing together in the face of certain death. The idea of them calling out “father” also implies that their hope centers around a god of some sort, reinforcing my belief that the song is a prayer, much like a psalm. The “auburn” color of the flames is also important, as it paints them as beautiful, albeit destructive. Auburn is a reddish-brown color. I think the color is normally too brown to associate with flames, but the film was so dark in lighting and mood, it works in this case. Sheeran may also be playing with the word a little bit, since it has the word “burn” in it. Before looking up the lyrics, I actually thought the line was “watch the flames burn on, burn on” rather than “burn auburn on.” In any case, it sounds beautiful, particularly when sung by Sheeran. 3) “And if we should die tonight / We should all die together / Raise a glass of wine for the last time / Calling out ‘father,’ oh, / Prepare as we will / Watch the flames burn auburn on / The mountain side” Yet again there’s a sense of camaraderie in that they plan to “die together.” In drinking “a glass of wine for the last time,” I associate them with Jesus and his disciples at The Last Supper, where they ate before Jesus parted. This time, though, all of them prepare to die. Again they call out “father” and instruct him to “prepare,” perhaps meaning for him to prepare a place in the afterlife as they “watch the flames.” 4) “Desolation comes upon the sky” Desolation is defined both as a state of complete destruction and a state of anguish, misery, or loneliness. The word refers to the destruction–both physical and emotional–Smaug can cause. It’s particularly powerful in this context because the film off which Sheeran based the lyrics is the second in the series, titled “The Desolation of Smaug.” For more analysis of the song, check out my blog entry, toriphelps.wordpress.com/2015/03/28/focus-on-the-lyrics-friday-i-see-fire/ |
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| George Ezra – Budapest Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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At its core, I think this is a love song. The singer would leave everything–his home, his wealth, etc.–for the one he loves. Someone suggested that this song is related to Archduke (and heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne) Franz Ferdinand. I looked up the specifics of Franz Ferdinand, who is most famous for being assassinated (an event which led to WWI). Apparently, he was only supposed to marry a member of a reigning or formerly reigning dynasty in Europe, but he fell in love with an archduchess’ lady-in-waiting, Sophie Chotek. He would not consider marrying anyone else. Eventually, he was allowed to wed Sophie on the condition that she and their children would not inherit his titles, privileges, or throne. I think the Franz Ferdinand story is plausible, especially since I can't think of another reason for the singer to mention Budapest. If you want to see a word-by-word analysis of the lyrics to "Budapest," check out my blog, toriphelps.wordpress.com/blog/ |
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| Fall Out Boy – Immortals Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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The song "Immortals" was created for the animation "Big Hero 6." It played while the main characters were suiting up and becoming superheroes. I may spoil some of the movie in my analysis, so be warned. The band said the song was modeled on the concept of an underdog stepping into a bigger role, taking the hero role of the protagonist’s brother. Hiro’s actions and even what he says near the end of the film parallel the actions and sayings of Tadashi (the brother) at the beginning of the film. That meaning is made clearer in the lyrics. 1) “They say we are what we are / But we don’t have to be / I’m glad to hate you but I do it in the best way / I’ll be the watcher of the eternal flame / I’ll be the guard dog of all your fever dreams” The first lines fit with the FOB’s meaning. The focus of the song is on underdogs who “don’t have to be” losers. The concept that people can be more than they are said to be is central to the film. I think the “you” of this song is *spoiler* Hiro’s dead brother but the third line confuses me. Perhaps Hiro resented his brother because he knew the dangers of doing what led to his death but still did it. The fourth line refers to an “eternal flame,” which is often a memorial (like the flame under the Arc de Triomphe) and the fifth line refers to “fever dreams,” or fever-induced nightmares. The idea of being a “watcher” or a “guard dog” is a heroic one. Hiro stepped up to a heroic position (pun intended) to avenge his brother’s death. More than that, Hiro preserves his brother’s memory by watching over Baymax, the machine his brother worked so hard to create. 2) “I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass (glass, glass) / I try to picture me without you but I can’t / ‘Cause we could be immortals, immortals / Just not for long, for long” “The sand in the bottom half of the hourglass” is the time that has already passed and is waiting to pass again. Where Hiro’s brother has no time left, Hiro’s hourglass is going to continue getting flipped over. Moreover, the hourglass has two important parts: the top and the bottom half. These halves continually take one another’s roles. Where Tadashi played the heroic role, now Hiro must step up to become the hero. (On a side note, I’m pretty sure Hiro is meant to sound like Hero–the move is called “Big Hero 6,” after all.) In the movie, Hiro has a hard time dealing with his brother’s death. In essence, he tries to “picture [himself] without [Tadashi] but [he] can’t.” Hiro learns to accept that Tadashi will be remembered through his friends and family (and Baymax), and in this way, Tadashi is immortalized. The idea with being immortal is also consistent with the scene the song plays in, where the group “suits up,” if you will. Still, no one can remain forever. The paradox of being immortal but “not for long.” Words, stories, and memories may immortalize a person in a way, but it’s not full immortality; everything that we know has an end. For more analysis of "Immortals" and other Fall Out Boy songs, check out my blog, toriphelps.wordpress.com/blog/. I hope this helps! |
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| Imagine Dragons – Gold Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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At it’s core, the song is based on the Greek myth of King Midas, who wished for the power to turn what he touched into gold. Midas’ wish turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing, since he accidentally turned his food and his daughter into gold. In the song, Imagine Dragons uses this myth to build on the idea of fame and the wealth that comes with it. 1) “First comes the blessing of all that you’ve dreamed, / But then comes the curses of diamonds and rings. / Only at first did it have its appeal, but now you can’t tell the false from the real. / Who can you trust (Who can you trust)” In Midas’ case, the “blessing of all that [he’s] dreamed” is his wish to turn what he touches into gold, which only appealed “at first.” In the real-world application, many “dream” of being blessed with fame and wealth. Imagine Dragons, now at a position of fame and fortune, attest that the “diamonds and rings” become “curses” in the same way Midas’ ability became a curse, separating him from those he loved. Fame and fortune may have “appeal” at first, but once achieved, it’s hard to distinguish those who are genuine from those who are “false,” leaving the famous struggling to figure out who to “trust.” 2) “Statues and empires are all at your hands, / Water to wine and the finest of sands. / When all that you have’s turning stale and its cold, / Oh you’ll no longer fear when your heart’s turned to gold. / Who can you trust (Who can you trust)” Statues, empires, water, wine, sands–all that’s listed here seems desirable, but none of it involves a personal relationship, which is what Midas really wanted in the end (at least, he wanted to restore his relationship with his daughter–we’ll generalize it for the song’s sake). Statues are just echos of things that live. Having “empires…at your hands” implies a position of glory, but what’s the point of holding power over so many people if your position depends on people seeing you as superior and untouchable? Turning “water to wine” is a biblical allusion to Jesus’ first miracle during his ministry in which he turned water into wine at a wedding. It’s a powerful allusion for this song because it parallels Midas’ ability to turn what he touches into gold. The line could also be interpreted as having everything from “water to wine,” which would fit into the list of desirable things that don’t involve personal relationships. “The finest of sands” could symbolize having lots of time, since sand measures time in hourglasses and having lots of time isn’t much good if you don’t have someone to spend it with. The lyrics go on to say when all these material items turn “stale” (when you no longer take pleasure in them) and when “it’s cold” (when you feel like you’ve reached your end), you’ll welcome the transformation of your heart into gold. I can see why people may interpret this transformation as an individual accepting this infectious need for materialism and giving in to the worldly people around him, but I don’t think that fits the rest of the song. Rather, I think the transformation of the heart into gold signifies the heart becoming hollow and the individual becoming numb to his own emotions. For more analysis of "Gold" and other Imagine Dragons songs, check out my blog, toriphelps.wordpress.com |
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